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Tasting and Donating: Kelowna Hotel’s Perfect Pairings for Christmas

Urban Distilleries’ copper pot stills are as amazing as the spirits they produce, which you can taste at their Kelowna Christmas party and shelter donation drive Dec. 20.

by Natalie Appleton

Even in the winter, a trip to the Okanagan wouldn’t be complete without tasting some of our finest wines and spirits. When you’re staying at Kelowna hotels for a shopping trip or a ski trip just before Christmas, be sure to make time for a special ice wine tour or a taste and donate event.

Taste and Donate Events in Kelowna:

Urban Distilleries Christmas Party/Shelter Donation Drive

You might be surprised to learn that Kelowna is home to handful of artisan distilleries hand-crafting award-winning spirits. Urban Distilleries produces vodka, gin and whisky with locally grown grains, fruit and botanicals. Their spirits are as impressive as their massive copper stills.

Take in the sights and tastes at the Urban Distilleries Christmas Party Dec. 20, with proceeds being donated to the Inn from the Cold Homeless Shelter. Enjoy fine cocktails and learn about their production at this special party.

Tickets, available through Smart Betty, are $25 each and include two cocktails with a donation to the food bank.

Learn about and indulge in some of the Kelowna area’s finest ice wines on a special seasonal wine tour.

Club Wine Tours invites you to take in the sights and tastes of three Christmas-spirited wineries on nearby wine trails. Indulge and get your Christmas shopping done while you tour and taste their award-winning Okanagan wines.

The tour, which can begin and end at your Kelowna hotels, caps off with a Christmas appetizer and holiday drink at Cabana Bar and Grille. Sip and give by bringing along a non-perishable food item for the food bank. Admission is $85. Tours run from Nov. 1 to Dec. 20.

Winter Wonderland Ice Wine Tour

Kelowna Tours gives you a chance to taste some of the region’s finest ice wines and learn more about how this unique delicacy is made on their Winter Wonderland Ice Wine Tour.

The tour, which takes place from Nov. 22 to Dec. 24, features stops at four unique wineries producing late harvest and ice wines, including Little Straw Vineyards, Volcanic Hills Estate Winery, Quails Gate Winery, and Kalala Organic Estate Winery.

Tours begin at 1 p.m. with pick-up at your Kelowna hotel so you can enjoy being escorted and educated about ice wines with a tour guide. Admission is $99 plus GST.